Alina couldn't help but chuckle, shaking her head at the sight. "Look how dedicated Luna is!" she said brightly, her voice carrying just enough warmth to make Luna's chest puff up with pride. The little girl immediately lifted her chin and tried to look serious again, but the corners of her mouth twitched like she was secretly enjoying the praise.
Alina walked over to Luna's desk, leaning down slightly to peek at her work. One glance at the page, and she had to bite the inside of her cheek to keep from laughing. The handwriting looked like it had survived some kind of battlefield—letters squashed together, numbers leaning at odd angles, and a few lines that seemed to be marching off the page entirely. There was even what looked suspiciously like a stick figure holding a giant ruler in the corner, as if it had joined the fight.
Still, Alina only smiled warmly. "Very… passionate effort, Luna," she said, patting her head. "I can see you worked very hard."
